Randy just needs a New Dream!

 

When I first saw this video, I was uplifted by the words of another ["one of us…"] out there consciously creating experiences! And, as I resonated with the message, I became fond of Randy Pausch — not because of his bravery facing a diagnosis he was given, but for the bravery it takes to tell others that their dreams shape their physical world. But then, I got mad that such a nice, upbeat, creative guy was "trying" to die so young when he still had such a big message inside him — a message worth sharing.

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School Food…

It has often been said that an army runs on its stomach.  This is very true; and it applies to most of the civilized world — not just the military.  Unfortunately, quality is often sacrificed — necessarily so — for quantity.  Most institutions responsible for feeding large numbers of people have been the subject of "bad food" jokes for this very reason.  School food, Hospital food, Army mess-hall food, Cafeteria food, Prison food, and other institutional-food, has forever been the brunt of bad-food jokes and the inspiration for funny songs; we’ve all heard and told these jokes.

When I think of institutional food, I think of the person behind the stainless steel serving station and glass sneeze-guard wearing a hairnet and dumping spoons full of "mystery meat" onto a tray — always with that sickening "splat!"  Now, however, kids have a completely different experience; and, technically, school food is much worse for children than it has ever been.  The establishment has no other choice but to make excuses; but no matter how much money they have to spend per child, things can be better — because they used to be better.  The major changes in the food our kids are eating in school has been at the supply-level.  Human needs haven’t changed; but food has, and the cafeteria staff is doing their best to serve whatever they are given to serve — they aren’t out shopping for groceries while the kids are at recess.

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Enlightening Fiction

For those seeking a "lighter" kind of enlightenment, here are a few uplifting and enlightening works of fiction we have read:

This is just a quick list off the top of my head…

*Please send us any other suggestions you might have — via email, or comment…

Enlightening Non-Fiction

The following is a list of various books — old and new — that we have found both informative and empowering.  Of course, this list is not exhaustive or comprehensive; it is simply a list of some of the books we have found that helped us along our way — and helped us see a bigger picture in which everyone has a place (as contrasted by the typical picture where a small group is "right," and everyone else is "wrong").  Please feel free to add to this list via email or comment…

If you read one of the books on this list, you’ll be changed.  If you read them all, the sky won’t even be a limit for you anymore!

 

There are obviously many valuable works that I either haven’t read, I didn’t enjoy or remember, or that simply didn’t come to mind yet; and I couldn’t possibly list all the books we’ve read, so I started with some of the more timely, relevant, or practical works I could think of.  The ancient texts are filled with great wisdom; but the average, modern mind can’t make full use of those works because of differences in time, social setting and climate, cultural changes, language changes and translations, and the common acceptance of metaphors that made sense in their own time, but have been taken in modern times as literal accounts, or translated into teachings that don’t bear the fruit they once did, etc…